“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” – Vincent Van Gogh In this case, I found beauty on my front stoop. Something about it stopped me in my tracks. I just thought it was so lovely. (8 of 41)
Author: heytherefriends
Hey there, friends. Welcome to my blog.
I'm a mother, cookie maker, animal lover, photo hobbiest, kindness advocate, and seeker of beauty and quirkiness in the little things of every day living
Fingerprints
“Never apologize for your eccentricities. They’re your fingerprint.” – Diane Keaton A lone tomato ripening on a vine draped over the wrong side of a privacy fence — with a heart-shaped leaf, I might add. A blue rubber duck randomly perched on a curb. An expressive garbage can. A leaf showing off in the sun….
The call
“The world has lost Robert Redford, Jane Goodall, and Diane Keaton in one month. Three extraordinary souls who reminded us what it means to live with purpose. Their legacy is a call…to rise with kindness, to protect what is sacred, to create boldly, and to love without apology. The next chapter belongs to those brave…
Cookie class
Today I taught a few friends how to decorate cookies with royal icing — fall and Halloween-themed. And appropriately enough, this little ghost face formed as I was creating some of the icing colors. What a fun time! I loved being able to share this craft with others and pass along some of what I’ve…
Not even close
“As long as autumn lasts, I shall not have hands, canvas and colours enough to paint the beautiful things I see.” – Vincent van Gogh (4 of 41)
Maybe…
Maybe the clouds and the trees and the flowers all love looking at you, too. (3 of 41)
Hold on there, girl
“I’ve been thinking about the way, when you walk down a crowded aisle, people pull in their legs to let you by. Or how strangers still say “bless you” when someone sneezes, a leftover from the Bubonic plague. “Don’t die,” we are saying. And sometimes, when you spill lemons from your grocery bag, someone else…
Temporal
“We collect moments like we collect anything else — without thinking much about it. A hand reaching across the table. The sound of a name in a particular voice. Morning light that only exists for an hour. None of it keeps. The truth is simpler: Impermanence is not a thief. It is the thing that…
41 days
“In the Bible, it rained for 40 days and nights. Day 41 came and the rain stopped. Moses went up on the mountain for 40 days. On day 41, he received the Ten Commandments. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Year 41, they walked into the Promised Land. Goliath taunted Israel for…
Hello, friend
It seems like I have a barred owl visit at least two or three times a year. I can’t imagine this is the same one from years ago, but who knows. Offspring, perhaps? Either way, I’m happy to see him and he’s very welcome here. He’s been here two days in a row…I’m hoping for…
Rhythms and Reminders
“May you honor the ways you find light and hope in these days. May you find comfort, strength, and rest in the unexpected moments. May you be open to receive everything that God has for you, even if it looks so much simpler and quieter than you expected. “May you cultivate hope on purpose. May…
Continued transformation
“Small gestures hold immeasurable power. Each smile, kind word, or thoughtful action ripples through the world, creating positive change. Embrace the beauty of simplicity and consider how your small acts of kindness can bring immense joy and warmth to others. In every moment, you have the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. Remember,…
Be proud of this
“You’re so hard on yourself. Take a moment. Sit back. Marvel at your life: at the grief that softened you, at the heartache that wisened you, at the suffering that strengthened you. Despite everything, you still grow. Be proud of this.“ – unknown And despite being chucked in our neighborhood yard waste bin, these sunflowers…
Everyday joy
“Keep a list of small, ordinary things that make you happy. A new flower from your plant-baby. That book you can’t wait to finish. When you hear something wonderful that happened to someone you love. Cultivate the habit of everyday joy. After a while, you won’t even happen to try.” —- Nanea Hoffman Nanea Hoffman…
Hello there
Just the cutest little bunny I ever did see. He was about the size of a billiard ball and had a hankering for my neighbors’ cosmos. I can’t think of a thing to add to this. The cuteness is sufficient all on its own.
Unraveling
“People call what happens at midlife ‘a crisis,’ but it’s not. It’s an unraveling — a time when you feel a desperate pull to live the life you want to live, not the one you’re ‘supposed’ to live. The unraveling is a time when you are challenged to let go of who you think you…
As it is
“Most of your life will not be extraordinary. Most of your life will be simple things, done regularly. If you’re only going to be happy when you’re on vacation, after a lush payday, after a big career win, you’re going to spend most of your life really dissatisfied. You either learn to love the day…
Wait for it
I recently bought a small digital camera that I am really loving. It’s light, plastic and toy-like, producing retro-looking images. But it’s not necessarily the photos that have me smitten: it’s the experience. Although this camera is digital, there’s no image playback feature. Yesterday I took it along for a walk in the park and…
Life lately
Just a few photos from recent walks in the park… And a trip to the flower truck for a peony fix. Which is entirely too expensive but totally worth it. Hello, weekend. I’m so glad you’re here.
Truths
I spotted a list of five harsh truths about life that I thought was pretty good – and accurate. 1. You are responsible for your own happiness. 2. The majority of your limits are self-imposed. 3. You can never fully prepare for everything life will throw at you. 4. You will mess up. The best…
Thank you
“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel his pleasure.” – Eric Liddell, Chariots of Fire A homily I listened to this weekend referenced the above quote from Chariots of Fire and I’ve been reflecting on it ever since. I understand that God’s…
Just how I am
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” – Anaïs Nin I spotted this little heart in a parking lot this evening and I was so tickled by it. Of course upon closer inspection of the photo later, I was bummed to see it was a bit of litter that…
Look again
“Look at your body. Look at those arms that have held people they love. Look at those eyes that have seen oceans and mountains and big green trees. Look at those legs that have carried you through your longest journeys. Look at your feet that have held you up on your hardest days. Look at…
Sorry, not sorry
“You know what breaks me? When someone is visibly excited about a a feeling or an idea or a hope or a risk taken, and they tell you about it but preface it with: “Sorry, this is dumb but…” Don’t do that. I don’t know who came here before me, or who conditioned you to…
Phoebe wisdom for a Tuesday
Today seemed to be a good day to tap into some Phoebe wisdom. It’s only Tuesday yet there seems to be a disproportionate amount of stupidity and clumsiness at every turn. I seem to be continually spilling, breaking, dropping, or misplacing everything in which I come into contact. It’s like the Midas Touch in reverse….
hey there, friends 